


Guilt

by glackedandmullered



Category: Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter RPF
Genre: Fire, guilty geoff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-22
Updated: 2013-12-22
Packaged: 2018-01-05 14:07:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1094817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/glackedandmullered/pseuds/glackedandmullered
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When a fire breaks out in the RT office Michael is hurt and Geoff feels guilty because he had told him to go in that day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Guilt

**Author's Note:**

> From a prompt on tumblr  
> how about one where somehow a fire breaks out at the rt office on a weekend and the only casualty is michael (non fatal) because he's doing a full play and afterwards geoff feels guilty because he's michael's boss and made him go in.

Of all the days it had to happen of course it would be on a Sunday. A Sunday that was meant to be an empty office nonetheless. Last Sunday before Christmas no one was going near the building, either having gone home for the holidays already or getting ready to do just that. 

So no one should have been there. 

Obviously that would be wishful thinking, because one single person had been there. One single person recording a full play in the Achievement Hunter office because Geoff had told him that there should be one before Christmas, especially on a new game. And who was he to say no to Geoff? 

It started in the studio. A loose wire that threw a spark that hit a trash can and set the paper inside alight in seconds. Small flames built up and grew stronger as they licked up the side of Ryan and Lindsay's desk, gaining strength as they latched onto everything around until the whole studio was burning. 

Michael had just finished recording when he heard the strange crackling sound. It felt like someone had wrenched up the heating but he was the only one in the building. He pulled his headphones off, walking over to the door intending to go out and check the AC but the crackling got louder as he approached and the door handle was scorching hot when he touched it. He took a step back, heart thudding in his chest and his brain but two and two together and he took a panicked, shuddering breath. 

Smoke began to rise up from below the door and the crackle was becoming more of a roar to his ears. He did the first thing he could think of and grabbed his sweatshirt from the back of his chair, wrapped it around the door handle to muffle the heat and tugged the door.   
Immediately a wave of hot air and black smoke filled the room and in seconds the small office was engulfed in flames. 

He eyes watered and he passively thought how funny it was that he knew all the training about what to do in the event of a fire but, at this moment with the heat beating down on him and the flames coming dangerously close to his skin, he couldn’t remember a single thing.

He knew screaming would do nothing because there was no one around to hear him but there was no way he was getting out of the door, he couldn’t even see the office across from him through the inferno and they had blocked up the window with their game case. That was on fire too so it wouldn’t be much use even if he could move it. 

He felt himself panicking and was helpless to stop it. He was going to die here, this was it he had no way of getting out and the room was flickering red and black around him.

Michaels mouth opened in a scream as the flames flicked out to touch him, licking his skin which felt like it in itself was on fire, but all he got was a harsh choking cough that sent him to his knees, eyes watering and lungs burning the last things he heard were sirens and shouting out in the parking lot before his world turned black. 

Geoff was just hanging out with his lovely wife, watching a movie while they had the house to themselves – as close to it as they could be with the resident Brit around – curled up on the couch having a lazy Sunday when the phone call came through.   
He reached over to check the caller ID and frowned when he saw Burnies name on the screen, he was sure the man had better things to do on the last Sunday before Christmas than call him. 

“Burnie, what’s up?” He answered the call and held the phone to his ear. 

"Geoff, there's been a fire." Geoff sat up suddenly, nearly knocking Griffon onto the floor with the action and held the phone tight against his head. 

“WHAT?” 

“At the office, the whole place is…” Geoff could hear his heavy sigh, “It’s all gone, man.”

Geoff scrubbed his hand over his face and swallowed hard. He couldn’t believe it, his workplace, his second home, the place he and his friends had spent so many years building up was gone. At least, he thought with relief, it was Sunday and no one was there on-  
Wait.

"Was anyone there?" He stuttered down the line, heart dropping into his stomach.

"Geoff..." 

"Was anyone fucking there Burnie?" He knew the answer, he knew because he had told him to go in. He’d told him that it would be the last thing he had to do before he could have his break but he needed to go in. He sent him there.

"Michael was," Burnie whispered and Geoff felt like the world was collapsing around him. He stood up and paced, pulling the phone away from his ear for a moment to take a deep shuddering breath before raising it back up to let Burnie continue.

"He's okay Geoff, he's got some smoke inhalation and minor burns but he's okay, they took him to the hospital. Lindsay's already there, I’m heading down now and I thought you might want to tell Gavin and maybe come in too."

"Of course I'm fucking coming, Burnie. We'll be there soon." He hung up without another word and yelled for Gavin, ignoring Griffons demands for him to stop and explain what was happening. She had no idea what could have upset her husband so much but it definitely didn't sound good.

"Gavin we're going out, we need to go, now!" Gavin, just coming down the stairs nodded, not about to question Geoff when he looked this wild. 

The car journey was tense, Geoff was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles were taught and white, he was driving on the verge of speeding and Gavin begged him to slow down and tell him what was happening. 

"There's been a fire, Michael’s in the hospital." Gavin didn't say another word until they reached the front doors. 

Burnie was in the foyer, arm around Lindsay as she cried into his shoulder. Geoff heart leapt into his chest and his breath sped up as every scenario passed through his mind. Burnie had said he was fine, hadn’t he? Had something changed while they were in the car? Burnie put his hand out to stop Geoffs panicked thoughts.

"No, Geoff, he's okay. Lindsay's just a bit overwhelmed; she called it in,” He added quietly “Come with me." He pulled Lindsay away from his chest and Gavin reached over to take his place. 

"I saw it from the apartment," she sobbed, "the whole building was just up in flames and I knew he was there and I couldn't do anything but call the fire department." 

"It's okay, you did good Linds, you saved him." He soothed, rocking her gently in his arms.

Geoff and Burnie walked through the hospital and towards the burns ward where Michael was being taken care of, Burnie had his arm around his friends shoulder, not sure why but feeling like Geoff was about to fall apart at the seams.

“Matt’s at the building talking to the fire service, I’m not sure exactly what happened but it looks like the fire trapped Michael in your office and it had gotten too far for him to be able to get through to the door.” Geoff pulled away from him and peered through the large window to the ward where his colleague was.

Michael was in the last bed right by the window, propped up on pillows, his hair was dusty with ash that they hadn't cleaned off yet and his face was the same, black against his pale skin. He had an oxygen mask on his face, obscuring most of the lower half, a wired clip on his finger and an IV in the crook of his elbow. He had bandages around both forearms and more across his chest that were mainly hidden by the sheets covering him. The mask fogged rhythmically in time with the rise of chest and Geoff felt relief that those signs of life were still there. 

Gavin and Lindsay came around the corner behind them and joined them at the window, she looked a lot calmer and her face, while still a bit red was cleaned of tears and there was a small smile when Geoff reached over to squeeze her hand.

“He hasn’t woken up since they brought him in but the doctor says he’s just sleeping. His body is trying to cope with what happened by avoiding as much pain as it can. He should wake up soon.” Lindsay said quietly, eyes not leaving her fiancé.   
Gavin, surprisingly calm just nodded and bit his lip, leaning against the wall for comfort. 

“Do you want to go in?” Burnie asked and they all moved towards the door, stepping into the sterile white room. 

“I can’t believe this happened.” Geoff muttered as he sat down in one of the chairs around Michaels bed. 

“I know, man. When Matt called me I just… I can’t believe I have to tell everyone that our building is just gone.”

“Yeah and I can’t believe this happened to _him_.” He gestured to Michael and Burnie sighed. 

“I’m just glad he’s gonna be okay. It could have been worse.” Lindsay whispered.

"It's my fault" Geoff said suddenly and everyone turned to him sharply. 

"What are you on about Geoff?" Gavin asked with a startled expression. Geoff stood from his seat and paced a few steps across the linoleum. 

"I made him go in, I told him we had to have a video up today and that's the only reason he was even there." He felt tears pricking at the corner of his eyes and took a deep breath to stop himself from crying like a baby right there in front of them. Burnie stopped him, gripping his shoulder and forcing eye contact before speaking slowly and firmly to the upset man. 

"You didn't start the fire, man. It's not your fault. It could have been any day, it could have been Friday when everyone was there, it could have been tomorrow when no one would be. This isn't. Your. Fault." Geoff shook his head but Lindsay interjected, reaching out to grasp his trembling rough hand.

"He's right Geoff, it wasn't you. And he's going to be fine anyway, so it's going to be okay." 

"Of course I will be," a hoarse voice called from the bed and they all whipped around rather comically. "I'm Mogar." Michael said with a cough, voice rough and he reached up to pull the oxygen mask from his face. Lindsay rushed to his side, reaching out to stop him removing it. 

"Keep that on Michael," Lindsay admonished gently but he batted away her hand and tugged the elastic until the mask fell around his neck.

"Tell me you know it's not your fault Geoff, tell me." He was breathing harshly without the oxygen and his words came out in gasps.  
Geoff didn’t know what to say, he felt responsible. He knew the fire hadn’t been his fault but that wasn’t the point. Just because it _could_ have happened at any other time didn’t change the fact that it happened now and it hurt one of his closest friends, could have killed him because Geoff wanted to put out a video. But he looked into Michaels eyes, red rimmed with the effort of breathing without the mask and no doubt the pain that was coursing through him even with the meds in his IV and he just didn’t want to hurt him anymore.

"It wasn't my fault." He whispered finally, letting out a deep sigh and scrubbing his hands through his hair. Michael nodded once and allowed Lindsay to resituate the mask onto his face, sighing in relief when he could breathe easier and held her hand tightly in his own.

"Good. Now get the fuck out. I wanna cry with my fiancé and I'm not doing it with you fuckers around."


End file.
